2 ex-Blackwater guards guilty of killing Afghan

Two former Blackwater contractors have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting death of an Afghan civilian two years ago.

But in what the Associated Press calls an apparent compromise verdict, the federal jury in Norfolk, Va., acquitted the defendants, Christopher Drotleff of Virginia Beach and Justine Cannon of Corpus Christi, Texas, of murder, assault and weapons charges.

They were found guilty of one count each of involuntary manslaughter for the killing a passenger in a car they fired on at a Kabul intersection the night of May 5, 2009. But the jurors exonerated them of murder or manslaughter for shooting to death a pedestrian who was walking a dog nearby, and also cleared them of assault for wounding the car's driver. Cannon's lawyer called that "puzzling."

Prosecutors argued the men shot at the vehicle out of anger and frustration, while the defense said they shot in self-defense. Neither man testified.

Blackwater Worldwide, which changed its name to Xe Services, is a private contractor that has provided security to the U.S. military and State Department. It's headquarters is in Moyock, N.C.

To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.

About Doug Stanglin

Doug is an unrepentant news junkie who loves breaking news and has been known to watch C-SPAN even on vacation. He has covered a wide range of domestic and international news stories, from prison riots in Oklahoma to the Moscow coup against Mikhail Gorbachev. Doug previously served as foreign editor at USA TODAY. More about Doug

About Michael Winter

Michael Winter has been a daily contributor to On Deadline since its debut in January 2006. His journalism career began in the prehistoric Ink Era, and he was an early adapter at the dawn of the Digital Age. His varied experience includes editing at the San Jose Mercury News and The Philadelphia Inquirer.